Lair of the White Worm eBook

To her husband, it was evident that Mimi was ill at
ease. The way she kept turning her head to look
around her, the quick coming and going of the colour
of her face, her hurried breathing, alternating with
periods of suspicious calm, were evidences of mental
perturbation. To her, the attitude of Lady Arabella
seemed compounded of social sweetness and personal
consideration. It would be hard to imagine more
thoughtful and tender kindness towards an honoured
guest.

When tea was over and the servants had come to clear
away the cups, Lady Arabella, putting her arm round
Mimi’s waist, strolled with her into an adjoining
room, where she collected a number of photographs which
were scattered about, and, sitting down beside her
guest, began to show them to her. While she
was doing this, the servants closed all the doors of
the suite of rooms, as well as that which opened from
the room outside—­that of the well-hole
into the avenue. Suddenly, without any seeming
cause, the light in the room began to grow dim.
Sir Nathaniel, who was sitting close to Mimi, rose
to his feet, and, crying, “Quick!” caught
hold of her hand and began to drag her from the room.
Adam caught her other hand, and between them they
drew her through the outer door which the servants
were beginning to close. It was difficult at
first to find the way, the darkness was so great;
but to their relief when Adam whistled shrilly, the
carriage and horses, which had been waiting in the
angle of the avenue, dashed up. Her husband and
Sir Nathaniel lifted—­almost threw—­Mimi
into the carriage. The postillion plied whip
and spur, and the vehicle, rocking with its speed,
swept through the gate and tore up the road.
Behind them was a hubbub—­servants rushing
about, orders being shouted out, doors shutting, and
somewhere, seemingly far back in the house, a strange
noise. Every nerve of the horses was strained
as they dashed recklessly along the road. The
two men held Mimi between them, the arms of both of
them round her as though protectingly. As they
went, there was a sudden rise in the ground; but the
horses, breathing heavily, dashed up it at racing
speed, not slackening their pace when the hill fell
away again, leaving them to hurry along the downgrade.

It would be foolish to say that neither Adam nor Mimi
had any fear in returning to Doom Tower. Mimi
felt it more keenly than her husband, whose nerves
were harder, and who was more inured to danger.
Still she bore up bravely, and as usual the effort
was helpful to her. When once she was in the
study in the top of the turret, she almost forgot the
terrors which lay outside in the dark. She did
not attempt to peep out of the window; but Adam did—­and
saw nothing. The moonlight showed all the surrounding
country, but nowhere was to be observed that tremulous
line of green light.